Through the Eyes of Chang'e
by Chessure
Summary: The War between the Old Order and the Elysian Uprising now takes place in the mortal world, with humanity left to ally with the latter or forced unwillingly to serve the former. Chang'e, part of the Elysian Uprising, hopes to save humanity and her captured husband, Hou Yi. But as the war continues, she'll find secrets that are better left unknown... A "what-if" version of the war.
1. The Plains of China

The battle for the North China Plain raged as Gods from various pantheons battled in the grassy fields. The Elysian Warriors battled against the endless hoards of Old Order skeleton minions, and some Gods from the faction battled against their own pantheon.

"..!" Chang'e's Moonlit Waltz managed to save her from a poison-tipped arrow, which would've been the death of her if not for the elaborate dance. She landed on her right foot, forming her hands into phoenix wings behind her before she launched a Crescent Moon Dance at a few incoming arrows.

She was grateful her light blue robes flowed with her movements, as it made it easier to dodge the enemy projectiles. Yue Tu, her faithful white rabbit, zigzagged around the battlefield to deliver the Rod of Asclepius, and due to his protections, every attempt at attacking him failed. The arrows would disappear. Those attacking with melee weapons would be flung back. She wished she had the protections he had. The "ultimate" elixir, as he called it, was only meant for him. His excuse was that he would never make it again, for fear of the enemy obtaining the recipe. It was reasonable in these times of days.

Yue Tu threw the ornate package that contained the artifact, which emitted a strange glow as Chang'e felt its power coursing through her body. She felt lighter, faster. It was easier to dodge attacks.

"Girl, behind you!" Yue Tu warned Chang'e as various skeletal minion appeared from the ground in an attempt to to assassinate her.

With a sudden Moonflower Dance, she moved to the side as pink petals scattered around in a flurry of wind, healing her wounds and sending enemies staggering backwards. She narrowly avoided a magical blast from a far-away skeletal mage.

Hebo's voice reached her ears, echoing through her mind. It was hard to focus on him and the battle at the same time.

"_Sister, be wary. There are no more enemies at the Yellow River. However, I am not sure about the situation there. I will relay this information to General Guan Yu. Keep your guard at all times, and may the water guide your movements."_

In the blinding sky, she could spot Nu Wa's majestic form flying toward the Persian manticore. Scales clashed against venomous spikes as the two beings battled one another, causing eruptions in the sky. Down below, her clay soldiers clashed against the continuing onslaught, and although they showed no signs of weariness, they were easily killed by the more complex skeletons.

Chang'e slowly back-flipped in the air, gracefully landing on the ground. She destroyed an undead mage who was too close for her liking. She knew they were Anubis's undead, yet couldn't help but feel pity for them. They were only skeletons, but they were also souls forced to fight in a war that wasn't even their own. Though her pity was lessened as they seemed to flow endlessly with primal rage. Her dances could only keep them at bay for so long, but she knew that losing this battle would mean losing a portion of important Elysian worshipers, as well as a part of China.

"Hmm..."

She would have never thought that the mortal plane would've been used as a battlefield. With the War of the Gods raging in the heavens, she assumed that humanity would left to their own battles. Now, the Old Order strategically attacked Elysian temples to weaken the Elysian's Gods' powers. She, along with a few of the Chinese Gods loyal to the uprising, descended from the heavens to bring peace to the world.

She snapped out of her musings as another horde of skeletons emerged from the ground. Before she could send the mindless minions with a crescent moon dance, however, she found herself flung back by a blustery gale. In the air, she slowly readjusted her weight until she landed back on the ground, using her hand to cover the particles of dirt and dust sprung into the air. A serpentine image slithered toward her at rapid speed. If she was correct, it was either Ao Kuang or Kukulkan, both on the side of the Old Order. She always had those two mixed up. As the faux-tornado settled down, she realized it was the latter.

Kukulkan: The Serpent of the Nine Winds. One of the Mayan Immortals, she knew that his tornadoes could send anyone back with ease. Well, perhaps not Ao Kuang.

"You made made a ssssserious mistake joining the Elysssian Uprising," he hissed to Chang'e with a smug look his face. "Humansss exist for one thing only-for the power of the Godsss!"

She responded with silence as Yue Tu remarked various insults that she herself wouldn't say.

The moon clashed with dangerous winds. Crescent Dance countered Zephyr. She danced in his tornadoes, becoming one with the movement of the wind. Kukulkan slipped across the area, sending strong gales at random intervals much to her annoyance. It wasn't until Kukulkan's body began to glow a dangerous green that she herself charged up her ultimate.

"Feel my wrath!" His green eyes raged, and Chang'e found herself surrounded by large tornadoes that reached toward the heaven's. Trapped in the center, the serpent summoned a larger and powerful spiritual version of his body that materialized above him, destroying the earth in its wake with a treacherous puff of wind.

She knew she couldn't waltz away. It wouldn't negate enough damage. The power of the moon coursed through her body in broad daylight, her body shining with intense radiance.

"Girl, now!" Yue Tu yelled.

She mustered her remaining magical power into a large Waxing Moon, which she sent forth to meet with Kukulkan's Spirit of the Nine Winds. The blast met with the spiritual manifestation, and both canceled one another. The blast flung Chang'e's body backwards.

A large explosion rocked the battlefield.

* * *

**A/N: So, writing battles between Gods is not my thing. I enjoy writing out scenery much more so than that. I know that ultimately Chang'e could have perhaps waltz'd away, but the battle between her and Kukulkan was longer than anticipated, and as we all know in Smite, mana reserves run out, attacks must be well-timed.**

**Also, I read somewhere that He Bo is the brother of Chang'e, which explains why he said sister.**

**Some things in the Smite universe may not be coherent in this story. Some things might change. Some Gods will be more powerful than others, and some unseen pantheons might lurk in the shadows.**

**Do read and review. Advice is appreciated so that the story can evolve in the future.**


	2. Xian

**A/N: I don't own anything. Nope. But neither does Hi-rez when you think about it. You can't claim ownership of mythology. But the concept. Mmmm. Dat concept.**

* * *

The City of Xian. It wasn't the capital of China, yet it stood as one of the nation's greatest strongholds. The citizens used to live a peaceful life, but when the heavenly war came to their doorsteps, most were prepared to give their lives up to their benevolent Gods. As such, normal mortals were to allowed to battle with the more powerful beings in the pantheon.

The Red Palace towered over the rest of the city, a majestic building to behold. Eastern Dragons circled the sky to give the people comfort and security, accompanied by the occasional flock of birds that bypassed them. The residents silently went about their day, thanking their Gods for the protection and benefits. In the dark-lit alleyways, shady deals transpired in secret.

Crimson walls surrounded the quiet infirmary. A painting of a once great empire hung on a wall, above lotus flowers that floated on a small plate. The sound of a waterfall echoed nearby. In all honesty, it wasn't much of an infirmary, as there was only two ornate beds, but that was to be expected as it was the Chinese pantheon's private medical area. The area for humans was much more crowded, with more injured soldiers that required more attention.

Her untied hair drifted on the bed's edges. Chang'e gripped the soft fabric of the sheets underneath her as Yue Tu slept next to her. She held as a neutral face as she stared at the ceiling, the herbal aroma in the air doing little to heal her injuries. She had her mind on the battle with Kukulkan. The explosion had injured most of her body, but she knew that she also injured the serpent as much as she him slither away with hissed remarks. She hated that she couldn't have done better, but she was content that it was an Elysian victory.

She knew that with each victory, she would be closer to finding her missing husband.

In the past, Hou Yi and Chang'e loved each other to death, and although some fights caused tensions in the relationship, the amendments afterwards only served to strengthen their love. Floating the moon had only made her melancholy worse, but it was alleviated by a rather cheerful bunch of moon gods. She was close to reuniting with him permanently during the beginning of the war, but from she had heard, he was across the world from her, held captive in some obscure location by the Old Order as leverage.

She hoped he was okay.

She turned over to stare at the sleeping Yue Tu, whose whiskers twitched. Was he having a dream? She considered him adorable when he wasn't blabbering his mouth off.

The door slowly creaked open.

The figure wore long red robes with floral designs that were etched on the surface. He appeared to be a rather large man, similar to Zhong Kui, but held a much more pleasant aura. He carried with him a small glowing lotus flower similar to the one below the painting.

She knew him as Baosheng Dadi, God of Medicine, and possibly one of the best healers in the world.

He said nothing as he simply put the lotus flower on a small pot located at the small stand next to her bed. The lotus stopped shining, and it shined a warm light near Chang'e's body. She felt her health regenerate much faster.

"Please rest, Moon Goddess." Baosheng's voice had a sort of kind commanding voice to it, but nonetheless still had the respectful intonation. "Tomorrow you will be better. Empress Nu Wa has also summoned you to meet her once the full moon rises in the sky."

With a slight bow, he said nothing as he left the room.

Chang'e considered it strange that Nu Wa had temporarily abandoned her title of "Guardian of Heaven," but perhaps with good reason. Nobody could claim ownership of the heavens anymore, as it was now a battleground for contending pantheons.

She closed her eyes, and drifted back to sleep. She dreamed of sun-tipped arrows.

* * *

The Red Palace royal hall was enormous, able to house various Chinese Gods. The pantheon flag hung from the ceiling, and tapestries depicted ancient mortal wars long since past. Those were irrelevant now. There was the large throne on which Nu Wa sat, toying with her crystals, and the long ornate table below where the rest of the pantheon sat. Guan Yu sat closest to Nu Wa, across Zhong Kui. Chang'e followed sat next, across from Ne Zha who tried to hold a straight face, but ultimately giggled at his universe ring's antics. He Bo was nowhere to be seen.

"He Bo is out patrolling the North China Sea," Nu Wa began as she surveyed her fellow Gods. She sighed at the minuscule number. "Our numbers have dwindled. Some of us have sided with the old order..."

Sun Wukong. Ao Kuang.

"And others have refrained from participating in the war in general. If this continues, I believe the Elysian Uprising will be put at a disadvantage."

The hall stood silent, with the exception of Zhong Kui writing in his death scrolls. Even in the midst of war, many things still died each day. He was a busy man.

"Guan Yu. A report on the battle."

"Yes, your highness."

The general stood up, his voice booming with powerful authority. "It is a glorious day for the Chinese Gods. The North China Plains have successfully been defended. Causalities are minimal due to her highness's clay soldiers. However, He Bo reported that he felt a strange being in the Yellow River. He could not identify it as there were too many enemies on the front." He continued with the summary of the battle. Chang'e paid little attention until he heard him mention Hou Yi.

"Our intelligence reports that Hou Yi is now fighting for the Old Order."

The moon goddess's eyes widened at the statement.

"However," Guan Yu continued, "it is against his free will. There appears to be something that the Old Order is using to influence the mind of individual Gods. We do not know what it is yet, but Gods from other pantheons not participating in the war have been affected as well. Their numbers continue to grow." With the end of the report, he sat back down.

Hou Yi. Him? Controlled? Chang'e's face didn't show it, but on the inside, she felt sick to core. She knew the Old Order was composed of powerful Gods, and although she never underestimated their power, the ability to control the will of another God was something she never heard of.

Nu Wa immediately stood up after the report, a small grin present on her face. However, she had her gaze set on Chang'e.

"I have a mission for you...how would you like to save your husband?"


	3. A Stormy Night

**A/N: I do apologize, I have been spending spring break in Turkey, which is why I was not able to update this fanfic. Aside from that, thank you to Grezz and Blades for reviewing! And I agree, I will miss the whole Chang'e x Mercury in the last version, but...maybe there will be fluff between those two! Also, this is my uh..."first" attempt at humor.**

* * *

She stared off into the distant horizon, the sun painting the sky beyond the eastern shores. She would miss Xian, but perhaps this was for the better. In order to reunite with her husband, she knew she would have to take the initiative.

She contemplated her mission. Of course, it was simple as it sounded: find new allies, and bring them to China to inaugurate them into the Elysian Order. The ship would first sail to nearby countries such as Japan and the Philippines, but she had her doubts about recruitment. From what she heard, the Japanese pantheon abstained from involving themselves in the war, and the Filipino Pantheon was too chaotic to even consider.

The sound of the waves calmed her thoughts down.

Thumping creaked on the wooden ship, approaching Chang'e. The furry Yue Tu sniffed the air, before hopping up right next to her.

"At least Gong Gong isn't here to eat us, right?" He joked.

She giggled at his ill joke.

"So, we should be in Japan a few days from now. Hopefully the Gods there will be friendly to our cause." He paused. "...Or maybe the Buddhas, but that's hoping for too much."

The ship sailed into neutral territory. She felt the spiritual power shift as the ship sailed further and further away from China. She knew that in neutral territories, rouge beings followed their own ways, but she felt content knowing that various protection talismans were implemented on the ship. They were still near Chinese waters, so perhaps Mazu was watching over them.

"So...I didn't want to ask this until later, but what will you do once we find Hou Yi?"

Chang'e stared at Yue Tu, who stared back at her. A certain thought crossed her mind, and in an instant, she picked him up and held him over the waves.

Yue Tu held a neutral face, much similar to her own. "I know you won't drop me, but could you please put me back." He wasn't fond of heights.

Sighing, she dropped him back on the ship.

It wasn't that she was angry with him or at the question, but if she was forced to fight her husband...it was an unpleasant thought. In the past, they had never really fought before. Perhaps there was the occasional argument, but a full-blown battle?

Until the time came, she would ignore such thoughts. She hoped that such a time would never come though.

"I still think you should move on though, that Hou Yi ain't waiting ar-"

She threw him off the ship.

"Chang'eee!" She ignored his distant screams as she continued to dramatically stare off into the distance.

* * *

The wind screamed and the rain poured like a waterfall. The ship rocked back and forth as the Divine Winds roared all over. Although the waves threatened to destroy the ship, the talismans prevented just enough damage to last through the trip. Were the Japanese Gods denying the other pantheons as well?

Below deck, Chang'e sipped a cup of tea, next to an annoyed Yue Tu who still hadn't forgiven her for throwing him off-deck.

"I still can't believe you did that!" He lamented on how his beautiful fur had gotten wet.

She just gave him a small stare, and before she could respond, a monstrous roar echoed throughout the stormy night. Something had struck the ship, but the structure still held fast.

Quickly reacting, she accidentally dropped her cup of tea on Yue Tu, and rushed out of the room as the rabbit rolled around the floor in pain.

She gasped at the monstrosity that attacked the ship. It was enormous, larger than Ao Kuang's true form. A sea serpent whose body elongated enough to cover the entire ship. Beautiful in form, a God stood above the sea serpent's head, garbed in white robes that covered his entire body. A strange sword rested by his side. The man's features were young, and it seemed that from his facial expression, he harbored no ill-intent on the Chinese ship.

The sailors hadn't move, but they were ready to defend Chang'e. Some, however, had already bowed down, recognizing the man's divine powers.

"State your presence in Japan's waters."

Though Chang'e expected a battle, she knew that on water, she had no advantage. She was the only God on the ship. The threatening clouds also covered the moon, so her power had no benefits here. She could perhaps fly, but where to? Not to mention that she would be abandoning an entire ship of mortals. She humbled herself, and bowed to the God known as Susano.

Yue Tu came rushing to her side, clearing his throat, as though there were no pain present in his voice. Stained tea was still somewhat present on his fur.

"We come in peace." Yue Tu announced. Susano simply stared at the strange rabbit whose fur was drenched in stained tea.

Slowly the sea serpent uncoiled itself from the ship until it floated by itself once more. Chang'e felt the talismens weakening, and she knew that another blow would signal the end of the ship. Although the storm did not stop, Susano offered (though Chang'e knew it was more of a command) to guide the ship to the mainland, where she would be met by more Gods.

It wasn't until later that the storm let up to show the night sky. The moon shone itself on her body, and she slightly shone with a white, pale color. The waves rocked the ship in a calm fashion. She knew the worse was over, for now. She stood at the front of the ship, watching Susano and his sea serpent slither toward land.

She knew that as the ship neared Japan, various beings and Gods watched. But from where? She did not know.

* * *

**A/N: It's a short chapter, I know. Perhaps not my best writing either. But I dislike updating slowly. If anything, I'll update frequently, but with short chapters (I'll edit it in the future). Now, my question is, should I show Chang'e discussing alliances with some pantheons or just skip to the end results and return to the main story?**


	4. Discussions

The trip to Kyoto only took two days, as the city was located in the middle of Honshu, and the coast was not that far off. In that time, Chang'e had experienced Japanese culture to the fullest. Some recognized her status as an immortal, and a certain few dared to bow down to her, which she found flattering but dauntless in a foreign country. As the culture faintly reminded her of her own, it was both a pleasant and nostalgic experience. Her status as an immortal had her treated as a noble, and as such, it was easier for her and Yue Tu to move about.

Regardless, she still had to be watched. After all, she was a foreign power in a foreign land. After Susano escorted the ship to shore, a strange black crow and cat appeared. To the normal mortal, they simply looked as they were, but to higher beings, their disguise was easily seen. To Chang'e, the crow appeared as a tall, dark-haired man with striking eyes, and the cat easily appeared the same, but with distinct blue eyes.

With the first day passing by, Chang'e found out they were yokai who had grown together in the same area. Their names were rather interesting; Kange for the tengu and Hisashi for the cat. Yue Tu did not mind either of them, but he kept a wary eye out for the feline.

As Nu Wa advised, traveling in the same ship would be prove too dangerous, and as such after Chang'e reached the capital, she knew her ship was bound for Xian. She was left alone with Yue Tu, and although she knew the Guardian of Heaven was right in letting them travel alone, it would not help her if she was attacked.

"This is where we will leave you," Hisashi said, standing next to Kange. "Ameterasu is in a meeting right now with the other Gods. We will return later." With a bow of the head, Kange left to his own devices.

"Until then, Moon Goddess," Kange flew off to follow his feline friend.

Chang'e considered it strange to hear Moon Goddess. She knew she should have been used to it by now, but if anything, the only connection she had with the moon was that she lived on it.

"So, what do you think about Japan?" Yue Tu scratched his ear.

Chang'e bent down and petted him. She was fond of the sights she had seen, especially the cherry trees and how everywhere around her, the pink petals reminded her of her moonflower dance.

"You know...since we're not in China anymore, you can talk." Yue Tu reassured her, "I won't tell anyone."

She smiled as she considered the thought, but she was used to not speaking at all.

The both of them stood at the bottom of the palace steps, waiting for the grand palace doors to open. The courtyard was completely empty, save for the endless rows of cherry trees, whose pink petals reminded Chang'e of her moonflower dance. She imagined herself dancing amidst the flowing petals, but refrained from such thoughts for now.

She was on a mission to save the world. Dancing could wait.

The palace doors groaned as they opened. A smiling woman in a pink kimono stepped out, holding a small white fan. She wore a headpiece (though it was not as grand as Chang'e's) atop her black hair that reached to the back of her neck. She radiated happiness, much as her clothing radiated the petals that fell from the air.

"Please, do enter!" She announced with a cheery voice. "Amaterasu will see you now!"

From Chang'e's observation, she assumed the woman was either a Goddess of Happiness or of Fortune.

She ascended up the steps until the both of them entered.

"I am known as Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto, wonderful to meet you! But please, call me Uzume. Also, sorry if my brother, Susano, was mean to you. He's always mean."

Chang'e smiled at her, but Yue Tu responded.

"She doesn't like to talk," Yue Tu said, "but she's happy to meet you too."

"Oh! You're so adorable!" Uzume picked up Yue Tu, and carried him all the way to the meeting room. The rabbit made little objections, as he did not want to offend the Goddess.

The walls depicted Japanese ukiyo-e painted and crafted by the most exquisite artists that Japan had to offer. The short table extended across the tatami floor, each side accompanied by a particular kami. It was an elongated yet elegant room.

Amaterasu sat at the opposite end of the table, silently awaiting Chang'e and Yue Tu. She had her own thoughts as she listened to her fellow Gods bicker.

"I believe that for now, we should abstain from joining either side. Involving our pantheon with either the Old Order or the Elysian Uprising will be detrimental to our society, and our people have enough problems as it is." Tenjin, God of Knowledge and of Scholars, gazed at Kuebiko, who was propped up on a wooden pole. He wore black scholarly robes that suggested his wisdom was unmatched.

"But Tenjin, if we want the heavens to return to normal, should we not join their cause?" Kuebiko countered. Another God of Wisdom (but also of agriculture), Kuebiko looked as though he were the odd one of the group. A stuffed scarecrow, he held himself in place, not actually seated on the table but on the side instead. The small toad on his shoulder croaked in agreement.

"Silence, our guests are here." Amaterasu watched as the sliding doors revealed Chang'e and Yue Tu, who were escorted delightfully by Uzume who muttered something about joy and wonder.

The Japanese Pantheon stared at the newcomers. Tsukiyomi, God of the Moon, smiled (or was it a smirk?) at Chang'e, who he remembered as the unfortunate woman who landed upon his moon.

Uzume gleefully skipped to her seat at the table, setting Yue Tu down and sitting next to her husband, Sarutahiko Okami.

Amaterasu, regal in form, towered over most of the other Japanese Kami. She wore white silk-laden robes that was longer than her body, complementing her red markings. Her white hair reached to the back of her knees, and her many white tails showed her endless power. She looked at Chang'e with neutral red eyes, which the moon goddess considered frightening.

"It is not often that our sister pantheon visits us. Our people do not tend to get along with yours." Though the Japanese and Chinese pantheon had similar stories to one another, they usually kept their distance.

Yue Tu cleared his throat, hopping on the opposite end of the table, where Chang'e assumed she had to sit on her knees.

"The Elysian Uprising is at a disadvantage," Yue Tu began, "the Old Order, we believe, has some sort of method to control the will of a God-"

Many from the table whispered amongst themselves, until Amaterasu silenced them once more.

Yue Tu ultimately described the condition of the war-torn world, as he assumed that the Japanese pantheon were kept in the shadows. He told them of the recent battles major battles, the Gods that have died or disappeared, how some pantheons were completely missing from their locations, and other distressing news. In the end, Yue Tu had spoken all the information up today, and Chang'e did not speak. Amaterasu, who contemplated a course of action, finally responded after a few minutes.

"No." It was a simple answer, but about half of the table objected, clamoring their thoughts out, but before one daring God could rise and represent the dissenting opinion, she continued,

"This war has nothing to do with the Japanese Pantheon, and that is that. We have our own affairs to attend to, and until the day the Old Order dares to attack our land, we will refrain from joining either side."

"Then...what about the Buddhas?" Yue Tu asked.

"...They have not been seen since the beginning of the war. Now leave, there is nothing further to discuss."

As Chang'e picked up herself up and rose to walk away, Tsukiyomi flashed a brief smile. Perhaps, she thought, not all Gods agreed with their appointed leaders, and that there would still be a chance to convince individual Gods to join the Elysian Uprising.

* * *

**A/N: In all honesty, I had no idea how to end this. In one version, Chang'e would have objected and actually voiced her thoughts, but for now, I'll save her speaking for a much more dramatic moment.**

**So far, I have some thoughts about how this story will progress, but I am not sure.**

**Do review and give criticism if you can, as that is how writing can only improve so.**


	5. A New Ally

**A/N: Derp. Short chapter. Working on original stories for now, so this isn't my primary focus.**

* * *

Surprisingly enough, her hunch was right. Not all Japanese Gods agreed with the Sun Goddess. After Chang'e's initial surprise of how blunt Amaterasu was at denying alliance with the Chinese pantheon, she and Yue Tu stepped outside to rethink their plans. To their curiosity, they found a familiar figure resting on the side of a cherry tree.

Susano the Japanese God of the Sea, approached Chang'e. Unlike his usual threatening appearance, he looked ambivalent. He looked different as well, his white robes now replaced with dark purple ones which contained a ukiyo-e depiction of a storm. He idly held his sword in his hand.

"Woman," he sneered, "I wish to join your cau-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Chang'e briskly ignored him and passed him by. She had no time for disrespectful Gods, and her thoughts were on ways to leave Japan without attracting attention.

Susano sighed, rolling his eyes. He wasn't one for pleasantries, but he swallowed his pride for the current situation. Clearing his throat, he began,

"Oh heavenly Goddess, Chang'e of the Moon, I ask that you humbly accept me for the Elysian Uprising. My providence over the sea is sure to benefit your cause." He tried his best to not make it sound sarcastic.

That was better, at least he tried to sound respectful. Chang'e turned around, and Yue Tu looked at her with curious eyes.

"Should we? I mean, is that even allowed?" The rabbit asked. Any ally to the Elysian cause was a benefit, but he knew that this could anger Amaterasu.

"And? I bore of inaction. Japan may be safe for now, as there are multiple beings, both good and bad, roaming Japan's lands, but we are against the world. I am willing to betray my pantheon if it means saving my country."

"Hmm..." Chang'e mused. She mulled it over for a second. It was only Susano, but at the same time, it was _only_ Susano. Sending only one Japanese God would look not only bad, but awkward.

She bent down to Yue Tu, whispering in his ear.

"What! You can't possibly think-" Yue Tu paused, nodding and considering her idea. "...Ah, that makes sense!" Yue Tu proclaimed.

Susano stood there with an eyebrow raised as Yue Tu approached him.

"How would you like to join our expeditionary crew?" He asked.

"What?"

"You see, we're on a mission, and that is to recruit pantheons to our side."

"I...see." Susano considered. He'd escape Japan and join the Elysian Uprising, acting as their body guard. It was better than the other option, which was to stay in Japan and guard its waters from foreign enemies.

"You'd be helping our cause, and not to mention that you'd be traveling around the world."

"I assume you need a sword then?" Susano asked.

"Err, yes. While we have combat experience, dancing will not always provide adequate defense."

"You dance on the battlefield? How absurd." Susano disbelievingly looked at Chang'e, who smiled with a sort of pride to the question. The dragon couldn't fathom how she could do such a thing.

"I suppose if that is what is needed to aid in the Elysian Uprising, then you have gained an ally."

"Perfect, now do you know a way off Japan? This requires stealth, so we're relying on our own wits here."

"I can call for allies," Susano suggested. "Some serve me, and as such..."

"No, no, no. We already have you on our side. Calling for more aid would be appreciated, but unnecessary. As I've said before, this is a stealth mission. If we involve more of the Japanese Gods or beings, Amaterasu would have our heads!"

"Good point. Then let us continue this conversation elsewhere."

* * *

It was a small inn to begin with, but it did the job of concealing them. Though they were probably still detected because of their immortal status, it wasn't as though they were going to stay long in the first place.

"What pantheons do you believe will join the Elysian Uprising?" Susano asked, sitting on his knees. "News doesn't travel fast in Japan."

Yue Tu contemplated for a moment. "The thing is, the Old Order doesn't consist of all Gods from a specific pantheon. Some have betrayed their leaders, so we can't say that the entirety of a specific pantheon make up the Old Order, since that's not true, just as not all of the Chinese or Roman pantheon are in the Elysian Uprising. If anything, it depends on the God itself. Why do _you_ want to join the Uprising?"

"I'll be blunt," Susano said. "I'd like to escape my sister."

"Ah...you don't really want to join the Uprising, do you?" Yue Tu narrowed his eyes.

"I have no qualms of joining 'humanity's protectors' if it means I can escape my sister's grasp. I do not agree with her rule. However, that is not my primary reason either, as I also believe that Japan will not last if it continues its isolationism." He shined his sword with cloth, eyeing its sharpness. He smiled at the thought of bloodying his sword with the death of some Old Order Gods...


	6. My Dear

**A/N: So occasionally I'll write out small scenes depicting what the other Gods are up to in the war.**

* * *

Nox's realm was obscured to all beings except herself and those she allowed or were considered equal to her. It was nothing special, really. Composing her realm were transparent platforms that provided a view of space and the Earth below.

"My dear, there seems to be a war afoot...how peculiar." Her black feathered robes blended with the night sky as she waltzed over to the edge of the starry platform, observing the darkness encircling Earth. It would've been beautiful if not for the fact that some others' darkness mingled in.

Nox's candelabra floated near her, twirling endlessly in a circle. Perhaps, she thought, she would partake in the war as well. She wasn't for either side, really, remaining in a state of neutrality. Yet, a primordial being such as her couldn't help but wonder what device could cause a God to lose their will.

"Such bad children...this won't do at all." She huffed.

Her candelabra centered itself above Nox's head, spinning in rapid motion in conjunction with her hands. In a flash of dark fog, the Goddess of Night disappeared.

She wisped through unnoticed for the most part, arriving at a small quaint town located far from Rome. It wasn't that she moved to protect its inhabitants, but rather, the only temple left dedicated to her. It has been a few days since the Old Order had their sights on conquering the entirety of the Roman Pantheon, and as she identified herself to be one, it was a rather offensive action against her.

She calmly glided to her last remaining temple as she felt the Old Order army near the town. Defending it would be costly. Every citizen and believer of Nox would most likely die, and knew she would lose the battle, but it wasn't as though she would leave the army without unsustainable injuries. No, she would leave them with tendrils of darkness in their wake.

As the town citizens began to scream at the arriving soldiers, Nox sat on the temple throne, smiling as her candelabra floated beside her. The wicks flicked to life one by one, and on the fourth wick, the room around turned pitch black, nothing seen except the light of her candles.

"Naughty children must be punished..."

* * *

In the end, the party left Japan through one of Susano's servants. A large sea serpent, they rode on its scaly exterior. It had only taken them a few hours to reach the Philippines, but they were making good time. They were dropped off on a shore containing a dense green forest nearby, but Susano opted to stay with his servant as the creature was their only way off the island.

It was just Chang'e and Yue Tu once more.

"It's...hot, that's for sure," Yue Tu commented. "Now follow me, if I'm right, the temple should be somewhere in this forest."

The forest they entered dripped with strange energy, something completely different than what they experienced in Japan. They could sense beings and creatures litter the entire forest, but all they heard was mocking laughter. Though, some were friendly and curious. There was one being that leaned next to a tree smoking a cigar that watched Chang'e and Yue Tu passed him by.

"Over here!" Yue Tu yelled, scampering off near a thick brush of foilage.

Chang'e followed, but noticed that the rabbit's expression changed. He motioned for her to crouch down, which she did immediately. She wasn't fond of the increase of leaves on her dress.

"Look over there," Yue Tu hissed. "Isn't that Anubis?"

The Egyptian God of the Dead conversed with a muscular God decorated with skulls, holding a staff with two skulls on the tip. Was he another God of the Dead? He held a contemplative countenance as the two Gods conversed with one another, but it seemed that Anubis mumbled something about humanity starting over, to which the Filipino God shook his head. They disagreed with one another.

"I have no idea what they're saying," Yue Tu whispered.

Chang'e immediately grabbed Yue Tu and covered his mouth, much to his protest.

"Shhh," she shushed, crouching patiently in the bushes.

A few moments later, two skeletal minions neared by, mumbling something in Egyptian that they didn't understand. Chang'e stayed completely still, exposed in the open. She hoped they were ignorant enough to not notice her. It worked, until Yue Tu took a huge gulp of air.

The skeletal minions looked their direction and howled an echoing sound that reverberated throughout the forest. The ground heaved and white hands from the underworld attempted to grab the two.

Chang'e shook at her head at the Jade Rabbit. He should've been able to breathe just a bit longer.

"You were suffocating me!" He protested as Chang'e picked him up and bolted to the path leading back to the beach.

The native birds flew in every direction as Chang'e avoided the hoards of skeletal minions rising from the ground, some attempting to trap them in their grasp in the middle of rising. She simply levitated higher.

"Watch out!" Yue Tu yelled.

Chang'e saw hundreds of locus flying toward her. Yue Tu then grabbed onto her shoulders to allow her arms free movement. As they neared the locus, Chang'e used every move in her arsenal. A Crescent Moon dance destroyed some of the locus. She followed up by a Moonflower Dance to scatter them in different directions. Lastly, she blasted a path through with a Waxing Moon, using her Moonlit Waltz to boost her speed.

"We made it!" Yue Tu said, before his demeanor changed. "Oh no..."

The beach was filled with Anubis's skeletal minions battling against Susano, who struck them down with endless precision. It was evident that he reveled in the battle, laughing proudly at his strength. In the sea, his servant calmly watched.

It wouldn't have done her any good to do the same thing, so Chang'e launched herself in the middle of the battle, twirling and dancing with such beautiful movement that Susano couldn't believe that it actually managed to do anything against the hoard. Swift strikes from Susano's sword and Chang'e's dancing later, they fled the island before more enemies could appear.

"Make a course to China. We need to tell Nu Wa that the Old Order is nearing Xian," Yue Tu scratched his ears. "It's more important than our current mission anyways."

Though he agreed, Susano hated that he was taking orders from a talking rabbit.


	7. The Sudden Invasion

**A/N: I have no excuses. You may behead me for how short this chapter is.**

* * *

Explosions shook the city of Xian, the people crying in fear and terror as Old Order soldiers marched through the streets. They slaughtered anyone who did not repent to support their cause, though if one looked closer into their eyes, the words they spoke seemed automatic.

How was this possible? She knew that one day the city would be invaded, but it wasn't as though she knew the time was now. It had only been a few days since she returned!

Chang'e raced to the palace doors, blasting through enemies when she encountered them. Thoughts scattered through her head. How did the Old Order slip through Elysian defenses?

"Chang'e, behind you!" Yue Tu cried.

Quickly reacting, she waltzed out of a scourge, recovering some of her strength as Susano countered the mysterious woman with his own sword.

"Oh, not bad!" The woman grinned. "Too bad I'll have to kill the both of you here and now!"

"A God!? Be on your guard! I'm going to look for Nu Wa!" With that, Yue Tu scampered to the heavily damaged palace, disappearing into the depths of the battlefield.

Her opponent stood there with an emblazoned look on her face, clad in silver and golden armor. The scourge she held reappeared into a sword and golden shield. Her bloodied face meant she was experienced in war.

She was Bellona, the Goddess of War.

Chang'e positioned herself into a phoenix stance, her body bent to almost touch the ground. She kept her gaze on her face, scrutinizing her with every detail. She felt like she had seen her somewhere, yet...

"Who are you?" Susano hissed, gripping his sword tightly.

"Name's Bellona. Doesn't matter anyways, you'll both be dead!" She lunged at the both of them with a gigantic hammer.

Chang'e flowed with her movements, contrasting every part of Bellona's rough method of striking. Occasionally she'd sent out a crescent moon dance and moonflower dance, but it seemed to do nothing against the brute.

With every opportune moment Chang'e couldn't attack, Susano struck Bellona with lighting slashes. The duo seemed to hold off against her, but it was also the same way around.

"Tch, I'm impressed, but not quite! _**Roma Invicta!**_" With the roar of a lion, she launched herself to where they stood, stunning the both of them momentarily and planting Rome's Flag at their location.

The ground tremored with the battlecry of the Old Order soldiers, whose eyes turned bloody red as soon as Bellona planted their flag on the ground. The Chinese warriors stood no chance, with a daring few retreating or surrendering immidiately.

Not that they could. They were ruthlessly slaughtered.

One soldier in particular cried helplessly as his wound began to fester, and though he was about to meet his end, a sudden Clay Soldier blocked the fatal strike for him. It shattered into pieces, and that's when the soldier looked to the sky.

The sky above the Xian palace shone with the colors of Nu Wa's gems, which grew larger in size by the second until they were the size of her body. The Guardian of Heaven, enraged by China being invaded, gathered all her strength.

"What the-!" The force of Chang'e's Waxing Moon and Susano's sword sent Bellona back, staggering by the sheer force of the power that the two held. "Impossible!"

The sky above the city turned red with fire as an infinite amount of fire shards rained down the Old Order soldiers, who immediately lost their morale even though Bellona's flag was planted firmly on the ground.

The Goddess of War looked to the sky with a 'tch', spitting out blood. She seemed to nod some higher being, before turning her gaze back to Chang'e and Susano.

"You win for now, but mark my words. China _will_ fall. Also, just to let you know," she smirked, "I'm only working for the Old Order because there's more blood and carnage. I could care less about the cause."

She stuck in her sword on the ground, kneeling as golden light enveloped her. Before Chang'e and Susano could react, she disappeared in a flash of light.


End file.
